Demon King of the Royal Class-Chapter 691

The handwriting analysis results came back swiftly that night. As they had all anticipated, the handwriting belonged to Ellen. The results merely confirmed what was already known, and follow-up actions had already been taken. The borders had been sealed, and the Emperor was nearly ready to deploy his forces.

The announcement came as a shock to the people of the capital, as well as to the high officials and nobles of the Empire. The new imperial family officially confirmed that Ellen Artorius had been spotted in the northeastern region of Kernstadt. All borders in that area were locked down, and the Demon King himself was preparing to hunt down the Hero.

The deposed Emperor and the Hero—two individuals who were both a burden and an adversary to the new Empire, and the Emperor himself had announced that he would personally be hunting down one of them.

It was a monumental undertaking. The Empire’s most formidable forces were called upon, including Kernstadt’s army and the standing army in the capital.

Many watched in awe as the massive army vanished from the capital in an instant, thanks to large-scale mass teleportation orchestrated by the Archmage. Those who witnessed it were left speechless by the magic wielded by the Archmage, who had become a living legend.

This massive mobilization naturally stirred up tension throughout the capital, and that tension quickly spread across the continent as news travelled via the warp gates installed there. Within days, word that the Emperor had begun hunting the Hero reached every corner of the continent.

This was unlike the usual false sightings of the Hero or the deposed Emperor. This time, the Demon King himself had taken action. It was unprecedented. The populace had no choice but to believe that this was the real deal. The long and bitter relationship between the two was finally coming to an end.

However, over the years, there was a shift in public perception. No one entertained the thought of the Emperor’s defeat anymore. A Hero with nothing was going up against an Emperor with everything. The outcome of their battle seemed obvious.

Naturally, the rumor spread even to the Autonomous Territory. Ironically, while the followers of the Hero Cult were relieved to hear that their missing Hero was alive, they did not celebrate the prospect of her finally defeating the Demon King; instead, they wept.

Those who despised the Demon King understood better than anyone that the Hero stood little chance against him. They were the ones who had watched from a distance, heard tales, or had suffered directly from the Demon King’s massacres, the one known as the God of War. They understood that even if they could destroy everything associated with the Demon King, they could never truly kill him.

The people of the Autonomous Territory were acutely aware of this. In their fear and despair, learned through countless defeats, they had no choice but to accept that without the Demon King’s mercy, their territory would cease to exist.

So, while they placed their hopes in the Hero, they could only mourn, knowing that the destiny of the Hero, ordained by the heavens, had come to an end.

***

“That’ll be ten copper coins.”

“Of course. Here you go.”

Ellen took an apple from the market and bit into it. With a crisp crunch, a refreshing sweetness spread through her mouth. It had been ages since Ellen had tasted such sweetness, and the sensation sent a shiver down her spine.

As she strolled down the street, she trembled with the unfamiliar delight.

Only those who have been away from civilization for a long time could truly appreciate such simple pleasures.

The luxury of eating an apple she hadn’t grown or harvested herself, the ease of acquiring it with just a few copper coins... One might dream of eating an apple while out in the fields, but actually finding one would be a rare blessing.

Out there, acquiring an edible tree or root was a stroke of luck, let alone an apple. But in the city, such a thing was possible with just a handful of coins.

Despite her sudden wave of gratitude, Ellen remained vigilant, scanning her surroundings.

Wearing a hood or covering her face did not draw much attention, as many others did the same. The New Empire, compared to its predecessor, was still unstable, and the rate of crime was high. As a result, the streets were filled with wanted individuals and those concealing their identities. Thanks to this chaos, Ellen could boldly enter the city, but she knew that if she were ever stopped and searched, it would spell trouble.

She walked along the edge of the street, taking crunchy bites out of the apple. Her pockets had been empty before, but luck had been on her side. On her way into the city, she had encountered some bandits. While such an encounter would have been unfortunate for most, for Ellen, it was a stroke of fortune. The bandits who had approached her were like a godsend, and they ended up “donating” their money to her.

Though they only had one gold coin, ten silver coins, and thirty copper coins, it was enough for Ellen. The robbers, oblivious to Ellen’s true identity, had been swiftly knocked out, leaving them no chance to expose her.

With a contented heart, Ellen savored her apple, feeling oddly grateful to the very thieves who had attempted to rob her.

This time, she had ventured into the city instead of lingering on its outskirts to gather information.

“They say the Hero has appeared in the northeast,” one voice murmured.

“Oh, it’s probably just another rumor,” another replied skeptically.

Countless people in this town claimed to have seen the Hero or the deposed Emperor.

“No, this time it’s different,” someone insisted.

“They say the Demon King himself has set out.”

“The Demon King?” came the incredulous response.

“Yes, that’s what they’re saying. If the Demon King, who mostly stays in the capital, is now taking action, something significant must be unfolding.”

“Wow... So, what’s going to happen?”

“I don’t know. It seems the Imperial Knights and the Archmage have mounted a desperate search for the Hero. It’s said the entire border is sealed tight, and not even an ant can slip through. A massive search effort is underway, and anyone coming or going is carefully inspected..”

“Wow... Something big must be happening...”

“Still, the Hero is the Hero. Do you really think she’ll be captured so easily?”

“They say the Demon King is immortal, invincible, the God of War. Haven’t you heard about the Battle of Meiran Plains?”

“Do you honestly believe that? It’s all just stories.”

“Of course it’s true! They say that hearing the Demon King’s name is enough to keep those who fought in that battle awake all night.”

“You need to be in touch with reality. It doesn’t matter how powerful the Demon King is. How can he wage a war all by himself?”

“That’s why he’s the Demon King!”

.

.

.

Ellen did her best to sift through the countless tales circulating on the streets to find the information she needed. She understood the consequences that her earlier actions could have provoked, but she believed that the urgency of the information warranted the risk, even if it meant drawing attention to her presence.

Without intervention at a state level, the situation would spiral out of control. As a result of her actions, the northeastern border of Kernstadt was completely sealed off. Ellen couldn’t predict how far the Empire’s blockade would extend, but she knew breaking through it would be impossible.

The crucial point was that Kernstadt had now expanded its territory, and now controlled more territory than what the Empire directly controlled on its own. If both the Imperial and Kernstadt armies were deployed, they could completely blockade the northeastern border. However, Ellen understood—and it was indeed the case—that they wouldn’t have the resources to do much beyond that.

Despite the circumstances, Ellen had her reasons for entering the city. In the wilderness, she could not gather any information. She had no way of knowing if her identity had been compromised, or what the army’s movements were. Therefore she needed to be in the city to fully understand what was going on.

Besides, Ellen wasn’t in the northeastern part of Kernstadt. Instead of leaving Kernstadt, she was venturing deeper into it. She was heading in the exact opposite direction of the area that had been blockaded off.

The imperial army and its allies were stationed in the wrong location.

***

After submitting her documents to the adventurer’s guild in Velodosia, Ellen had quickly departed from the city, running as if her life depended on it. Instead of heading northeast toward the place where she had originally entered Kernstadt, she sprinted southwest.

Even if the information she carried was rational, anyone could see it was suspicious. If she attempted to leave Kernstadt the way she had entered it, she would find herself trapped by the sealed borders.

Ellen had foreseen this.

No matter the New Empire’s reasons for wanting to capture her, she couldn’t afford to be caught after all this time on the run. Thus, Ellen decided to venture deeper into Kernstadt instead, heading in the opposite direction of the blockade. And by taking the risk of entering this city, she learned that a blockade had indeed been set up in the northeastern region.

She knew that if the blockade did not produce any results after too long, the authorities might suspect she had ventured deeper into Kernstadt. She couldn’t afford to rest.

Her goal was to reach the southwestern border as swiftly as possible. Even if that border was also being blockaded, it wouldn’t matter; she had gathered the information she needed. There was no reason to linger in the city any longer.

Ellen made her exit quickly, careful not to attract any attention.

Finally, when she was safely out of the city, she took the last bite of her apple.

“...”

She briefly regretted not buying another one.

***

Ellen chose to run through places where few people ventured. Running along the road would draw suspicion if anyone saw her, so she stuck to uninhabited forests and rugged mountains.

She couldn’t afford to take her time; the Empire wasn’t foolish. They would soon realize she was not surrounded by their blockade. She needed to cross Kernstadt as swiftly as possible, and took any route that allowed her to run.

It was a daunting task—crossing nearly an entire country’s territory. Her focus was solely on moving forward, not on hunting monsters or tracking anything else. She bypassed several cities, but had no choice but to enter others. After all, she needed to understand the movements of the imperial army, which was likely being maneuvered in real-time.

She fled in the opposite direction of the blockade for several days, and word spread throughout Kernstadt that the former hero had reappeared. And it was not just Kernstadt—the entire continent seemed fixated on the northeastern part of Kernstadt.

Would the Hero be captured? Would the Demon King finally sever the long-standing connection with the Hero? Debates were erupting all across the continent. Even within Kernstadt’s borders, some believed that this time, the Demon King would fall at the hands of the Hero.

Ellen wasn’t interested in those individual opinions. What mattered to her was the truth hidden within those opinions.

The Empire was still setting up blockades, waiting for the Hero to make an escape. They hadn’t pinpointed her location yet.

That was enough for Ellen.

After buying just enough food and learning about the Imperial army’s movements, she quickly left the city. She longed for the comfort of a bed, but indulging in such a luxury was out of the question.

In a day, Ellen could cover distances that would typically require a horse, all on foot. Despite her lack of proper sleep and her status as a superhuman among superhumans, exhaustion was creeping in. But she couldn’t afford to let her guard down. If the Imperial army caught wind of her movements, she would need to change her escape route immediately. Gathering information was crucial.

As she fled in the opposite direction of the imperial army, crossing the central part of Kernstadt, she found herself in yet another city. There, she found no signs that the Imperial army had picked up her trail.

But then, she stumbled upon some completely unexpected information.

—They say the Hero has been caught.

“...?”

Ellen couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

***

“The Hero has been caught.”

Ellen, the Hero herself, was stunned by the unexpected news. She was right here, so who could they possibly have caught? It had to be a mistake, a misunderstanding, or just a rumor. After all, people often spread stories that someone else had started. Yet, everyone passing by seemed to be talking about it.

—They say it was an incredible fight, but in the end, the Hero is still the Hero.

Indeed, it seemed a fierce battle had taken place.

—But how could anyone stand against the Demon King?

—Exactly. No matter how heroic the Hero really is, how could she possibly challenge the Demon King, especially with the Archmage by his side?

—People are even saying the Archmage might be stronger than the Demon King these days...

—That’s true...

—Tsk... And so, it all ended just like that.

Some praised the Demon King’s power, while others quietly mourned the Hero’s defeat.

Ellen hurriedly left the city, her mind racing with worry.

Something was terribly wrong. She had been heading southwest across Kernstadt all this while, but unsettling rumors had reached her ears: the Hero had been captured.

The Demon King and the Hero had apparently fought a massive battle. But who had truly fought whom? The details were murky, yet the urgency in the whispers she heard compelled her to quicken her pace, yet despite her haste, she felt compelled to remain in the city to verify the situation.

Witnesses claimed that the army had gathered to watch the epic confrontation between the Demon King and the Hero, who faced off in a one-on-one battle.

It seemed the Archmage’s assistance hadn’t even been necessary. In the end, the Demon King had overpowered the Hero, shackled her like a dog and dragged her back to the nearest city. From there, the stories said, the Hero was taken to the capital.

It couldn’t just be a rumor. Too many voices were echoing the same story. They all claimed it was Ellen Artorius.

Ellen herself was baffled by the situation. She went to the next city over, and even there, people whispered about her fate, oblivious to her presence among them.

“They’re planning a public execution,” someone murmured.

“The capital will be packed with spectators,” another added.

“I heard they’re constructing a massive execution platform,” a third voice chimed in.

.

.

The Hero had apparently been defeated by the Demon King and taken to the capital, where a public execution was being planned. Ellen couldn’t wrap her mind around who had been captured or what exactly was unfolding, but she knew one thing: she had to leave Kernstadt.

Luckily perhaps because of the rumors about the Hero’s capture, security in the cities she passed through was surprisingly lax. The northeastern blockade seemed to have been lifted, and Ellen noticed no signs of heightened tension among the guards.

Her safe escape was in sight. She was almost at her destination, and only one final city remained between her and freedom.

—They say the Hero was executed.

Ellen had to accept that the Empire’s bizarre spectacle had reached its conclusion.

—So... The Demon King triumphs in the end.

Lost in thought, Ellen wandered the streets, her mind clouded with confusion.

What were they scheming, and why? They had staged a fake capture and executed an imposter for all to see.

Yet, Ellen was still alive.

With the Hero declared dead, no one would seek salvation from her anymore.

Was this their twisted way of showing mercy? Had they ever truly planned to capture her?

Only a select few, including Ellen, understood the strange and bizarre nature of the situation.

If their intention had been to stage the capture and execution of a fake hero from the start, though, why wait until this moment to proceed, especially when there was undeniable evidence of the real Ellen’s presence?

If Ellen accidentally revealed herself while in hiding, it would expose this staged execution as a sham. That wouldn’t bode well for the Demon King’s Empire. The fake hero’s execution might have a temporary impact, but Ellen’s continued existence posed a problem.

‘Is this their way of telling me to stay away from human settlements forever...?’ she thought.

It could be both an act of mercy and a warning. They would allow her to be presumed dead, but she could never reveal herself again. Perhaps they had never intended to find or capture her at all.

The Emperor’s army had paraded itself in front of the masses on a successful mission to capture, transport, and execute the so-called “Hero.” But why now? Why had they chosen this moment to pull this act, after years of silence in which Ellen had remained hidden?

This was the most perilous time for the Empire, the easiest moment in which their deception could be uncovered. Ellen was still within Kernstadt’s borders. Had she known about this ploy, she would have fled far from human lands to prevent the Empire’s sham execution from being exposed. She might even have hesitated to hand over the materials she had been documenting.

The exact reason for this timing was unclear. What mattered was that the Hero was declared dead.

Ellen had no intention of revealing herself, but now she had to live even more quietly. She couldn’t bring herself to harm the Empire Reinhart had built.

Was the Empire really planning to let her leave just like that?

Ellen continued to walk through the city.

This city was her final stop.

Though the border of Kernstadt was still distant, her true destination was close. She wasn’t aiming to reach the Kernstadt border anyway. She was merely headed to the southwestern edge of Kernstadt, and she was just one step away.

As Ellen strolled down the main street, something caught her eye in an alleyway.

There, several small animals were basking in the warm sunlight.

Meow.

Meow...

Four cats lounged in a sunny corner of the street.

“...”

Even in the midst of all the strange and bizarre happenings, Ellen found herself smiling softly.

Cats... At some point, they had become special to her.

During her toughest and most painful times, they had been her comfort.

Cats, which lived in the city, were a rare sight for Ellen, who spent most of her time out in the wilderness. Thus, whenever she visited a city, she would keep a lookout for different cats.

Each encounter brought back memories of those challenging yet oddly comforting days, and she would smile without realizing it.

She wondered if that cat was still doing well.

A sudden worry filled her mind. She hadn’t seen that particular cat since she’d left it at the Temple—the kitten that had drifted in and out of her life, the one she never managed to name.

Surely, that black cat looked just like that cat over there as well. It had the same sleek, black fur as that cat, which naturally drew her attention to it and made it stand out among the others.

Was it a stray? Or had it been abandoned?

Ellen noticed something around the black cat’s neck. Ellen couldn’t quite make it out, but the thing hanging around the cat’s neck wasn’t a bell or a collar.

As she studied it, her eyes widened in surprise.

There it was—a round, milky-white object. A depiction of a moon nestled within the sun. It was identical to the talisman Ellen had received from Dettomorian. Not just similar. Not just alike. It was exactly the same.

Both the cat and the talisman were the same, unchanged from her memory.

“Y-you... w-why... why are you here...?” Ellen’s lips trembled as she spoke.

In an impossible place stood an impossible creature, wearing an impossible necklace. All right in front of Ellen.

Meow, it cried softly.